Burton

A Biography of Sir Richard Frances Burton

By: Byron Farwell

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Explorer and inventor, soldier and poet, archaeologist and diplomat, Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) was the most versatile and remarkable man of his age. But he was foremost an adventurer: “an adventurer in the intellectual and the spiritual as well as the physical world.” 

The pioneering traveler in Central Africa who discovered Lake Tanganyika was also the translator of The Arabian Nights and the secret translator of Oriental sex manuals like The Perfumed Garden. The man who made a dangerous pilgrimage to Mecca in disguise also produced major writings on reptiles and religion, mining and mountain climbing, slavery and sexuality.

Byron Farwell brilliantly recreates the sheer excitement of Burton’s achievements and astonishing range of interests in this fascinating biography.

©1995 Byron Farwell (P)1995 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

An outstanding performance of an outstanding life

Sir Richard F. Burton - explorer, poet, master of 29 languages, iconoclast, swordsman, eroticist, translator of both the Arabian nights and the Kama Sutra, scholar and so much more is a daunting target for any biographer. This book, well read and well written will give you some familiarity - warts and all - with one of the most fascinating people of all time, and the singular people around him, including his magnificent, devoted and talented wife Isabel. Niether his toweing virtues; his courage, intellectual curiosity, and his loyalty; nor his vices: his bigotry, stubbornness and occassional cruelty are hidden from you. This is an audiobook to treasure.

Interesting story.

The fascinating life story of a largely forgotten, but still great, adventurous wanderer. To describe his life here would be impossible but I highly recommend you give this a listen. Very good narration of an exhaustively researched and thorough examination of the life and works of Richard F. Burton. I have read two different biographies and they seem to differ on some points but the other is not on audible so give this one a go if you're interested in the life stories of important, yet possibly somewhat overlooked, explorers of the world.

A Polymath Looks at 40

"He dared to think and believe what other brave men would have shrunk from contemplating. He He was an adventurer in the intellectual and the spiritual as well as the physical world and it was this combination of interests, actively followed, which made him unique, one of the rarest personalities ever seen on earth."
- Byron Farwell, Burton: A Biography of Sir Richard Francis Burton

This biography of Burton sits at an intersection. I have at least three biographies OF Burton written by Edward Rice, Byron Farwell, and Fawn M. Brodie. I have multiple histories/biographies BY Byron Farwell: This one, Mr. Kipling's Army: All the Queen's Men, Queen Victoria's Little Wars, The Great War in Africa: 1914-1918, Eminent Victorian Soldiers: Seekers of Glory, and Stonewall: A Biography of General Thomas J. Jackson.

While not an academic, it is hard not to think of him as a professional historian. Over a 40 year period he published 14 books, mostly focused on the Victorian period of exploration and war, mostly published by Norton and Viking.

The book isn't a hagiography. Burton had many faults, many short-comings, many quirks and Farwell highlights those as well as his brilliance and bravery. I can't give it my highest ratings for biographies simply because while I adore both Burton and Farwell, this isn't up to the level of Robert A Caro, Edmund Morris, or say David W. Blight. It was really good, just not great. The narrative drive of the book is sidetracked by Burton himself who jumps from place to place, ship to ship, idea to idea.

That said, it is a fantastic start to exploring Burton's character and to gain insight into England during its Victorian period in Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Points should also be given to not ignoring Burton's wife and her role in Burton's life.

incredibly dated and sexist

Wanted to listen to a biography on Burton. I did some research into what was available, hoping to find one that was more skeptical of the fantastical lies he was known to tell about his life. Unfortunately, this is the only one audible offers. Still it has decent modern reviews, so I gave it a try. Within eleven minutes the author had insulted women four different times.

Interesting man.

This is the definitive account of a most extraordinary Man. There isn't much speculation or opinions here, just the record. Which is sufficient for a long pleasurable listen.